South Korean President Lee Jae Myung Begins Four Day State Visit to France

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Nice, France, on Sunday for a four day visit that includes a bilateral summit with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. The visit marks the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations and follows President Macron's visit to South Korea in April. On Monday, President Lee and President Macron will co chair the Lumiere Summit on the future of cinema in Saint Paul de Vence. The itinerary continues Tuesday with a state visit to Paris featuring a one on one luncheon and a summit followed by a dinner banquet at the Elysee Palace. On Wednesday, President Lee is scheduled to meet with Yael Braun Pivet, speaker of the lower house of the French parliament, and Mathias Cormann, secretary general of the OECD. In a written interview with Le Monde, President Lee expressed his commitment to acting as a pacemaker to revive dialogue between North Korea and the United States to help halt the buildup of Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities. He also addressed remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump, stating that they represent an intent to overhaul the alliance for changing times rather than an attack on its sustainability. While center and center right reports focus on the diplomatic itinerary and security policy, a center left report frames the visit as an opportunity for the progressive leader to avoid the political crises associated with his conservative predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol.